McNeeley scores 17 points as No. 25 UConn rallies to 76-72 win over No. 15 Baylor
STORRS, Conn. — Liam McNeeley scored 17 points and No. 25 UConn came back from an early deficit to beat No. 15 Baylor 76-72 Wednesday night in the Big 12-Big East battle.
Solo Ball made two late free throws and finished with 11 points as the Huskies iced the game from the foul line. Samson Johnson had 13 points for UConn (6-3), the two-time defending NCAA champion.
Freshman guard Robert Wright III had 22 points, Langston Love scored 16 and Norchad Omier finished with 14 for Baylor (5-3), the 2021 national champion.
Aidan Mahaney made a 3-pointer and Tarris Reed Jr. scored four points in a 10-2 run to give the Huskies an eight-point lead with 7:48 left after UConn trailed by double digits in the first half -time.
Baylor scored the first seven points and twice led by 11 before the Huskies started chipping away. Mahaney drained a pair of 3s and then assisted on Johnson’s layup. Four straight free throws from Johnson gave UConn a 31-28 advantage.
A Jeremy Roach layup with 21 seconds left put Baylor up 37-36 at halftime.
Roach left with 15:41 left due to an apparent injury and did not return.
UConn played its second straight game without leading scorer Alex Karaban as he recovers from a concussion.
Baylor freshman VJ Edgecombe sat out with a hamstring injury.
Baylor: The Bears dominated early by getting into the lane and capitalizing on the perimeter defense issues that plagued UConn in three straight losses at the Maui Invitational last week. They struggled to score when they needed baskets late in the game.
UConn: The Huskies scored 21 points off turnovers and won their 33rd straight home game against non-conference opponents.
Reed made a layup and added two free throws in a 7-0 run for UConn after Baylor tied the game at 52.
UConn outshot Baylor 26-12 at the foul line as the Huskies shot 79 percent on free throws.
The Bears return home to face Abilene Christian on Monday. UConn plays at Texas on Sunday.
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